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Midwives Model of Care

What is it? How did it come about? What are the elements that distinguish this model of health care? Information from the Citizens for Midwifery website at www.cfmidwifery.org. Photos courtesy of Google Images.

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Transcript of Midwives Model of Care

Public "bare bones" definitionThe Midwives Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes.

The Midwives Model of Care includes:

Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycleProviding the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum supportMinimizing technological interventionsIdentifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention

The application of this woman-centered model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.Creators of the DefinitionWritten for mainstream health care decision-makers and the questionsthey're likely to have:It's the type of care, not the type of provider, that matters.What to expect from a caregiver who provides the Midwives Model of CareRespectful treatmentPersonal attentionPlenty of informationAppropriate monitoringConfidence in your bodyNatural techniques for comfortA care provider who stays with youWhat is the Midwives Model of Care ?Will you provide theMidwives Model of Care ?A definition that all of the groups could use consistently incommunicating with health care decision-makersSomething they'll actually read"I'm not sure that mothers arecapable decision makers..."Partnership??!?"Will I get the basic medical care I need?""Is it safe?""Isn't home birth dangerous?"(It's way more than this!)Doctors can provide it.Hospital midwives can provide it.Ina May provides it.Gentle nurturing carethat respects you,your family, andyour beliefs.Respect for your informeddecisions about medicaltests, recommendations,and interventions.Willingness to support your birth plan, includingany family members and friends you may wantpresent at the birth.Freedom to move, eat,bathe - to do what helpsyou during labor and birth;your midwife doesn't "prohibit"or "allow," but patientlysupports and guidesyou as needed.Respect for the birth process as it unfolds uniquely each time.Prenatal visits that allow plenty of time for questions and answersMeaningful discussions to explore and helpresolve fears and concerns you or yourfamily may have.Caring attention to develop atrusting and nurturing relationshipwith you and your family that canhelp you to labor and give birthnaturally and safely.Plenty of information about pregnancy, birth and the newborn, and about breastfeeding and newborn care.Suggestions about ways that you can take good care of yourself and your baby.Encouragement and practicalsuggestions for you to have good nutrition and make healthylifestyle choices.Full information about any recommended tests,procedures or treatments so you can makeinformed choices about your care.Regular andthorough checkupsfor you and yourbaby throughoutyour pregnancy,during labor, andafter the birth,to make sureboth of youare healthy anddoing well.Recommendations for diagnostic technology when appropriate.Planning with you forthe unexpected andfor the rare emergency.Referrals to other health care specialists or to a different birth setting if needed.Expertise in normal, natural childbirth.Help with discovering your own body's ability to give birth, in its own way and in its own time.No routine treatments or arbitrary timetables that can interfere with your body's healthy process of laboring and giving birth.Truly individualized care,privacy, and naturalchildbirth.Support for doing the work of giving birth. Rather than someone else "delivering" the baby, you are empowered to give birth to your own baby yourself!Help you cope with thediscomfort of labor. Midwives have found that encouragement,massage, relaxation,laboring in water,changing positionsand otherapproachesare oftenveryeffective.Encourage the progress of labor and help you give birth to your baby gently and lovingly.Help you avoid risks (to yourself and your baby) that are associated with many standard medical techniques and hospital protocols.Attentive, sensitive care and emotional support in tune with your needs throughout labor. The Midwives Model of Care means that your midwife stays with you and "mothers the mother."Postpartum care and help with breastfeeding. After your baby is born, your midwife will stay with you until breastfeeding is established and both you and your baby are resting comfortably.TMTMTMTMTMTMFour organizations came togetherin 1996 to put together a definitionof the "midwives model of care""Why would you want to have a "partnership" between mother and care provider?"So they put together a